Black’s pawn position is weaker, because the White pawns, being on Black squares, cannot be attacked by the Bishop, whilst Black has two isolated pawns on White squares.  Furthermore the Black Bishop has less mobility than the White one, and finally the Black King is tied to his Q3, to prevent White’s entry at B5 or K5.  These drawbacks decide the issue. 1. ...  B-R2; 2.  P-R4, B-Kt3; 3.  B-B2, P-R4. (After B-R2 White would command the square at Kt6 through P-R5); 4.  B-Q3, B-R2; 5.  B-B1, and Black resigns, for White threatens to establish his Bishop at B3, where the pawns at Q5 and R5 are both attacked, whilst the Black Bishop is at once forced to occupy the only square from which both pawns are covered, namely B2.  As this square must be abandoned in the next move, Black loses a pawn and the game.

5. ...  B-Kt1; 6.  B-K2, B-B2; 7.  B-B3, and wins, or 5. ...  B-Kt3; 6.  B-Kt2, B-B2; 7.  B-B3, and wins.

A corresponding instance of knight V. Bishop is the end-game Blackburne-Schlechter (p. 102).

It is difficult to gauge the relative value of Bishop and Knight in the end-game.  The Knight has the advantage of access to all squares; against that the Bishop is able to fight at long range, and offers opportunities of gaining moves in certain positions where there is a “forced move” (compare p. 90).

As already stated, two Bishops are superior to two Knights because the limitation of the colour of squares ceases.  A Rook generally wins against a Bishop or a Knight, sometimes even against a majority of one or two pawns, provided, of course, that there are still pawns on the Rook’s side, and that their exchange cannot be forced.  The following position (Diagram 71), from a game Moll-Post, shows how to proceed in such cases.

Here White can force a win in the following way:  1.  RxP, P-Kt6; 2.  R-R6, PxP; 3.  RxP, K-B2; 4.  R-B2, B-Kt5; 5.  R-B4, B-R4; 6.  P-B4!  The Black pawn position must first be torn up, if it is to be attacked successfully.

Now Black’s defeat is inevitable, whether the pawn is taken or not.  The sequel would be 6. ...  PxP; 7.  RxP, after which the Rook goes to KR5 and the Rook’s pawn must fall, or:  6. ...  K-Kt3; 7.  PxP, PxP; 8.  R-B6ch, K-Kt2; 9.  R-B5, and the Bishop’s pawn is lost, unless Black gives up his passed pawn.  In this case Black loses also:  9.  R-B5, B-Q1; 10.  KxP, K-Kt3; 11.  K-Q3, B-B3; 12.  R-B6, K-Kt2; 13.  K-K4, K-Kt3; 14.  R-R6, K-B2; 15.  K-B5, B-Q1; 16.  R-KKt6, followed by RxP, etc.

The Queen against a minor piece wins so easily that it is not necessary to give an example.  It only remains to discuss end-